Edina Public Schools — Transcript
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Story
Edina Schools approves budget, celebrates music director award
Story
Educator Advocates for Playworks Program at Edina School Board Meeting
FY 2015 Audit Presentation and Financial Overview
Leadership Update on Strategic Priorities
Student Enrollment Counts and Class Size Report
Next-Gen Construction Plan Update
Votes (11)
Approval of Amended Agenda (Removal of Item 6d)
Dissent: None
Moved by Board Chair [0:01:10] · Seconded by Board Member [0:01:10]
An amendment was proposed to remove Item 6d, the annual report on professional learning, from the agenda due to needing corrections and modifications. It was decided to defer this item to the November board meeting.
Recognition of Bill Webb: Schmidt Music Director of the Year Award
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Bill Webb was honored for receiving a prestigious regional award. The discussion covered his extensive career teaching music at all levels from elementary to collegiate, his collaborative partnership with his wife, Susan, in the high school band program, and his personal journey of resilience facing severe health challenges from a prescription drug interaction. Tom Schmidt and Paul Thompson from Schmidt Music praised Webb's professionalism and pioneering spirit as the award's first recipient.
Public Comment: Jim Nunn on Playworks
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Jim Nunn, a teacher and Edina parent, spoke about the Playworks program, sharing insights from its pilot in Minnetonka schools. He emphasized how Playworks encourages involvement for all children, including those like his son Timmy who struggled with recess, fostering creativity and inclusion rather than just structured sports.
FY 2015 Audit Presentation
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
The external auditor presented the Fiscal Year 2015 audit results. The district received a clean opinion on its financial statements and federal award expenditures. Key positive findings included better special education aid, conservative estimates, improved utility/snow removal costs due to a milder winter, and successful in-housing of contracted services. A previously noted finding regarding timely payment of accounts payable was resolved. The auditor discussed the impact of GASB 68, which added the proportionate share of unfunded pension liability to the district's net position, though it was clarified that this is an accounting standard change and not a change in district liability or credit rating impact.
Leadership Update
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Superintendent Dressin provided a comprehensive update on strategic priorities, including plans for a student data dashboard and a new student information system, a redefined assessment plan, and a three-year next-gen funding plan. He also touched on the school calendar committee's progress and the development of a formal professional learning plan.
Student Enrollment Counts and Class Size
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Mary and Margot presented the annual report on student enrollment and class sizes. Kindergarten enrollment was down, and one less class was needed at Cornelia. First grade also saw a decrease, though Cornelia added a section. Seventh grade was noted as the largest. High school enrollment was slightly down due to a large graduating class. The district projects relatively flat K-12 enrollment growth over the next five years. Open enrollment data showed more Edina residents attending school elsewhere than open-enrolled students entering the district. Discussions included potential boundary shifts and the impact of new housing developments.
Next-Gen Construction Plan Update
Dissent: N/A
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Superintendent Dressin updated the board on the progress of the Next-Gen Construction Plan across all school levels. Schematic designs were nearing completion for the high school, beginning for the middle school, and design drawings were starting for elementary schools. Common themes for the new designs included 'learning commons' (replacing traditional media centers), enhanced outdoor play areas, and extended learning options within classrooms. Targeted studies were also underway for special education, media/library services, athletics, guidance counseling, and environmental sustainability.
Approval of Consent Agenda
Dissent: None
Moved by Board Member [0:45:30] · Seconded by Board Member [0:45:30]
The consent agenda, with the exclusion of the Annual Report of Professional Learning (Item 6d), was presented for approval. Items included personnel recommendations, expenditure payables, employee health insurance renewal rates, minor high school calendar adjustments, approval of a new 'World Quest' activities program, NWEA/MAP testing contract approval, recognition of Bill Webb, acceptance of gifts, and approval of field trips.
Approval of Financial Statements for Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2015
Dissent: None
Moved by Board Member [0:48:10] · Seconded by Board Member [0:48:10]
Following the detailed audit presentation earlier in the evening, the board moved to formally accept the financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015. No further discussion or questions were raised.
Approval of Superintendent's Performance Goals for 2015-16
Dissent: None
Moved by Board Member [0:49:05] · Seconded by Board Member [0:49:05]
The board considered and approved the performance goals for the Superintendent for the 2015-16 school year. The HR committee had previously discussed these goals, and no additional comments or questions were raised during the action item.
Scheduled Review and Approval of Policies 612, 617, 627, and 628
Dissent: None
Moved by Board Member [0:49:55] · Seconded by Board Member [0:49:55]
The board reviewed and approved four policies: 612 and 617 had no changes. Policy 627 (Athletics) included minor language reordering and corrections to high school credit requirements. Policy 628 (Activities) added new text regarding eligibility and accommodations for students with special needs, and clarified language for exceptional middle school athletes. These changes were discussed by the board and its athletic director previously.
Notable Quotes (16)
we've got one amendment to our agenda this evening Lenny 6d the annual report on professional learning from the agenda although I do have a second just removing it deferring it tabling it
to be the first recipient of this award and when it covers such a broad area is really truly an honor and I feel blessed and humbled by the award because I I have experienced the lifetime in this career of seeing phenomenal work
it's not what they it's not what they take away from you it's what you do with what you have left
your irrepressible good cheer and faith and tenacity and perseverance and reliance and and professionalism it just is its boundless and so there is no more deserving person that could have received this award
What I'm seeing at minnetonka with our play works is an opportunity for those kids to be encouraged to be involved not demanded to be involved but encouraged to be involved and I support that fully
my only challenge to you is please please has you make a decision on this and and you're dealing with people think of the kids like Timmy that recess comes the stomach ache
we received special ed ade a little bit higher than we have in for the previous year we always are very conservative with our estimates our enrollment was down a little bit from projected and we also have follow-up enrollment information for 1516 so it's good we're we're coming out in a little bit better position than projected
by far the most common finding that we have in our school district audits is districts not paying all of their disbursements within that 30 it is window that you have from either receiving the goods or services or the invoice for goods or services and that has been a finding for your district last year but we're happy to report all of the dispersents that we pulled and tested this year were paid in a timely manner so that was not a finding for edina for 2015
this was really something that that's kind of out there but from the standpoint of a potential liability of the district I don't really see anything changing the amount that you're paying through your general fund is based on the salaries that you pay that are eligible are the plays that are eligible for those plans each year and they have been tinkering a little bit with those percentages to try and squeeze down that liability but it must something absolutely catastrophic happened they're not going to go out of business tomorrow and send bills teach the district's to pay in their proportionate share but it is something you now have to reflect as liability on those entity wide statements
next month we'll be bringing forward to the board recommendation as relates to our data dashboard for students staff and families they can look at a new student information system when we've been working hard on that and we bringing that forward for board action
this audit really allows us to move forward now would taking a look at a three-year funding plan especially with some of the changes going on as a result of our successful referendum on construction we want to make sure we have we're in a fine strong position for the launching in fall of 2017
our seventh grade is our largest grade in our school system right now it has 694 students in seventh grade
we have approximately 1328 students or fifteen point eight percent of our students are open enrolled and it would be in your in the pack that you have for information but we also have approximately fifteen hundred and thirteen edina School District residents that are attending school elsewhere so we have more Edina school school students that are leaving than we are right now presently bringing into open enrollment
the schools will have that commons area kind of that center point in the school where it is or that once was the media center but this is the learning commons area so it will be a student resource center center as well as a student production center
it also were one of the first school districts nationally that relieves take a look at all of our media centers district-wide to make sure we have a continuum of services that will meet our learners today and into the future
policies 6 12 and 6 17 have no changes from when we looked at them the last time 627 there are just a couple of notes that the board discussed after review from Troy Stein the athletic director so just a little reordering of language in section 2 and then in section 8 of 627 there's a correction to the high school credits that are required for participation and adjustment in the language immediately following that about the action if a student fails to meet the credit requirement progress in 6 20 h there are again a few changes from when we looked at this the last time the board saw it was at the July twentieth meeting the two sections that I would call attention to is just so new text in section 7a about eligibility and then a new paragraph C so section seven paragraph C adds language about accommodations for students with special needs
Ordinances & Resolutions (6)
Consent agenda item initially removed due to errors, to be brought back in November.
New accounting standard for employer reporting of pension plans, impacting the district's statement of net position.
School board policy reviewed with no changes.
School board policy reviewed with no changes.
School board policy on athletics, updated with language reordering and corrections to high school credit requirements for participation.
School board policy on activities, updated with new text on eligibility and accommodations for students with special needs, and language tightened for exceptional middle school athletes.